Islamabad: Indus Water Commission talks between India and Pakistan to be begin today

Indus Water Commission talks between India and Pakistan will begin in Islamabad on 20 March.

Disputed projects such as Miyar, Lower Kalnai, and Pakal Dul will be on the agenda of the 113th Indo-Pak Indus Water Commission conference.

Indian Indus Water Commissioner P.K Saxena is leading the 10-member delegation in two-day meeting between Pakistani officials.

The two countries held the Indus Water Commission last time in May, 2015 in New Delhi.

The Permanent Indus Commission is a bilateral commission of officials from India and Pakistan, created to implement and manage goals of the Indus Waters Treaty 1960.

It comprises the Indus Commissioners from both sides and discusses technical matters related to the implementation of the treaty.

Pakistan has firmly stated that it will not accept any alterations or changes to the IWT after India had said that it is ready to engage in further consultations with Islamabad on the matter of resolving current differences over the Kishenganga and Ralte projects under the treaty.

Pakistan has raised objection to the building of the Kishanganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric plants by India, saying that it violates the provisions of the treaty.

The World Bank had earlier asked both the countries to consider alternative ways to resolve their disagreements over the Indus Water Treaty Dispute 1960.

The World Bank had said that it was temporarily halting the appointment of a neutral expert as requested by India, and the Chairman of the Court of Arbitration, as requested by Pakistan, to resolve issues regarding two hydroelectric power plants under construction by India along the Indus Rivers system.

The treaty which was signed in 1960 by Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan President Ayub Khan gives India control over the three eastern rivers of the Indus basin, the Beas, the Ravi and the Sutlej while Pakistan has the three western rivers, the Indus, the Chenab and the Jhelum.

As per the provisions in the treaty, India can use only 20 percent of the total water carried by the Indus River.

The Indus Waters Treaty 1960 is seen as one of the most successful international treaties and has withstood frequent tensions between India and Pakistan, including conflict.

The treaty sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two countries regarding their use of the rivers, known as the Permanent Indus Commission which includes a commissioner from each of the two countries. It also sets out a process for resolving so-called "questions", "differences" and "disputes" that may arise between the parties.